The Conservative Party must unite under its next leader — whoever that may be — in order to avoid the “threat” of a “hard-left” government led by the Labour party, the U.K.’s international trade minister told CNBC Thursday. – CNBC
Japan on Thursday cautioned the two candidates vying to replace Prime Minister Theresa May that a no-deal Brexit would be so disruptive for many companies that Japanese capital’s 35-year honeymoon with Britain could end. – Reuters
In Malta, on average, out of every 100 persons aged between 15 to 64 years, 72 were employed. Unemployed persons stood at 8,853 (2.1 per cent) while inactive persons totalled 165,235 (39.8 per cent). The activity rate for the quarter under review was estimated at 74.9 per cent with the highest rate recorded among persons aged 25 to 54 (86.7 per cent). – NSO
The EU is in a state of suspended animation over Italy’s budgetary woes. The Financial Times reports that Wednesday was supposed to be the day when Brussels gained clarity over Rome’s intentions to step back from deficit-busting spending measures and avoid falling into an EU disciplinary process. However the delay is frustrating EU officials who were eyeing Wednesday’s cabinet meeting as a possible game-changer in the decision of whether or not to launch an “excessive deficit procedure” (EDP) against its third-largest economy. –FT
Pressured by a labor crunch and rising wages in China, Shu Ke’an, whose company supplies bulletproof vests, rifle bags and other tactical gear to the United States, first considered shifting some production to Southeast Asia a few years ago, but nothing came of it. – Reuters
New EU market regulations have tightened the grip of Wall Street firms on trading across Europe, as fund managers have turned to specialist trading outfits to execute their deals — at the expense of big European banks such as Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas. – FT
Inflation edged closer to the European Central Bank’s target in German states in June, data showed on Thursday, but analysts said the figures are unlikely to prompt a reversal of its decision not to raise interest rates in the coming year. – Reuters
Huawei said there’s no company-sanctioned cooperation with the Chinese military and does it not customise products for the country’s armed forces. CNBC
